A study commissioned by the Council for Scientific and Industrial Research (CSIR) has revealed that an ayurvedic compound-Enicostema Lillovele (EL)-locally known as 'Mamejva' herb can control glucose and can be used for management of type 2 diabetics.
The study was commissioned by the CSIR to assess the efficacy of Mamejva under its 'New Millennium Indian Technology Leadership Initiative (NMITLI).' The study has just been completed and other steps including filing for patents were being taken up. After the patent, the safety and toxicity studies would be taken up to develop a herbal drug out of the herb, sources said, without giving further details on the study.
The leadership programme, with a total outlay of Rs 300 crore, has evolved 42 R&D projects covering diverse areas and involving 287 partners (222 in the public sector and 65 in the private sector) over the last years.
Under the NMITLI programme, the expertise of 12 institutional partners and an industry were synergized for the development of new targets, drug delivery systems, enhancers and therapeutics. Significant success has been achieved. An IND for a new pharmacophore for the treatment of tuberculosis has been filed. This is the first success achieved in developing a new tuberculosis therapeutic in the last 40 years globally, sources said. The molecule works through combination therapy (compatible with the present drugs), is less toxic, clears the total infection within two months and no recurrence has been observed. It fits well into the present four-drug therapy by replacing one or two drugs from the (present) cocktail. In addition, some new drug targets have also been developed.
A novel drug delivery system based on dry powder inhalation of microparticles containing rifampicin/rifabutin and isoniazid has been developed. Inhalation of these microparticles containing anti-TB drugs can clear M. tuberculosis from the lungs in a shorter period of time as compared to oral administration alone. IND directed studies are in progress.
Based on the traditional knowledge, the development of a single plant based oral herbal formulation for treatment of psoriasis was initiated under NMITLI for making it globally acceptable. The project was led by Lupin Laboratories as the industry partner, with CDRI and NIPER as institutional partners. Extensive studies comprising fingerprinting, activity guided fractionation, efficacy studies, toxicology, safety pharmacology, pharmacokinetics and toxicokinetics enabled the filing of an Investigational New Drug (IND) application for the first time in the country for a herbal based compound. Currently the formulation is in phase II clinical studies.
The development of pure recombinant lysostaphin, free from pre-pro lysostaphin, by Institute of Genomics and Integrative Biology (IGIB), New Delhi and Bharat Biotech International Limited (BBIL), Hyderabad has provided an opportunity to assess its efficacy against drug resistant Staphylococcus aureas infections. An IND application has been submitted.